Goethals Indian Library and Research Centre
About Goethals Indian Library and Research Centre
Very few people know that a part of the St. Xavier's College building on Park Street, adjacent to the College building proper, above the main Chapel, houses a treasure which has been practically unknown. The treasure was inherited by the Jesuit Fathers of St. Xavier's in 1908 from the then Archbishop of Calcutta, Paul Goethals, S.J. Archbishop Goethals, a Belgian who was Archbishop of Calcutta from 1886 to 1901, donated to the Jesuit Fathers his precious collection of books with the expectation that they be preserved as a separate library. That this collection deserved to be protected as a special Library even during the Archbishop's lifetime, can be felt if one scans the catalogue published by him in 1898. In 160 foolscap length pages plus a three page addenda, are listed titles and authors which testify both to the range of the owner's interest and his keen sense of collection which is scientific to a great extent.
